The development of self-understanding in adolescence involves a number of theories about the self,

identify, and personality. Theories about the self are relevant and the understanding of how these
characteristics of the self are relevant and the understanding of how these characteristics are related to
each other.

William James’ concept of self: The Me-self and The I-self

William james suggest that the self is divided into two categories: the I-self and the me-self. The I-self
refers to the self that knows who he or she is which also called the thinking self. The I-self reflects the
soul of a person or the the mind which is also called the pure ego. The Me-self, on the other hand, is the
empirical self which refers to the person’s personal experiences and is further divided into sub-
categories: the material self, social self, and spiritual self. The material self is attributed to an individual’s
physical attributes and material possessions that contributes to one’s self refers to who a person is and
how he or she acts in social situations. James believes that people have different social selves depending
on the context of a social situation. For example, a student may act differently in school and at home
with his or her family. The spiritual self refers to the most intimate and important part of self that
includes the person’s purpose, core values, conscience, and moral behavior. James believes that the
path to understanding the spiritual self requires introspection.

Carl Rogers’ Self Theory: Real and Idea Self

Another aspects of self-understanding that is important in adolescent years focuses on self-concept. This
refers to the image of oneself. Psychologist Carl Rogers defines the self as a flexible and changing
perception of personal identity. The self is the center of experience (Rathus, 2017). He suggest that the
self develops from interactions with significant people and awareness of one’s own characteristics and
level of functioning. According to Rogers, human beings are always striving for self-fulfillment or self-
actualization. When the needs of the self are denied, serve anxiety may arise. Central to achieving self -
actualization is the development of self-concept.